1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in positioning devices for positioning work pieces relative to a tool and more particularly, to a work piece positioning device in which there are a large number of moveable arms to provide the positioning of a work piece in an essentially unlimited number of positions with respect to a tool.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art.
There are a large number of work holding and work positioning devices which are used to position a work piece with respect to another member, such as a tool. Usually, the work positioning and work holding devices adopt the form of a vise. As a simple example, it is oftentimes necessary to position a work piece such as metal rod with respect to a source of solder so that a user may solder onto the work piece. In like manner, two pieces of wire may be soldered together by positioning and holding each of the two pieces of wire relative to a source of solder so that the soldering electrode may be brought in contact therewith.
Many of these positioning and work holding devices, which are in the nature of vises, are rather elaborate. For example, some of these vises include a base for securement to a stationary structure and which allows a swivel mechanism to be rotated in a horizontal plane. In like manner, a vise head including a pair of jaws is mounted on this swivel mechanism for movement in a circular plane relative to the swivel mechanism and also movement in a vertically or generally vertically disposed arcuate plane.
One well known conventional work positioning device is offered by Pana Vice, Inc. of Long Beach, Calif. This work positioning device comprises a base having a swivel mechanism and a vise head having a pair of jaws. Other types of work holding products are also available and utilize similar constructions.
Each of these prior art work holding devices and work positioning devices are inherently ineffective for their intended purposes. Generally, they require a plurality of adjustments such that the user must first position the vise head in one axis and then tighten an adjustment knob, position the work head for movement in another axis and tighten an adjustment knob etc. Thus, these conventional work positioning devices are time consuming to use and oftentimes difficult to precisely position a work piece with respect to a tool.
In addition to the above, these prior art devices are expensive in that they require a large number of mounting accessories such as different bases, different heads, and like components in order to obtain the full versatility of such products. Nevertheless, in essentially all embodiments, the work piece is not universally positionable through an essentially unlimited number of positions with respect to a tool.